Unconditional
by Neko-Houkou
Summary: Jade and John have met up with their friends on the meteor before reaching the new session. Upon passing through a dream bubble, they make a new friend. Dave and Karkat don't care much for him at first. Slight AU with a mix of canon/non-canon events. No actual pairings, but hints of Dave & Signless being moirails and Dave & Karkat being kismesis. T for Homestuck.
1. Encounters of the 6th Kind

Hussie is the biggest troll in the history of paradox space.

I was hoping to have this entire story finished before Karkat's pre-scratch self showed up. I was so excited when I saw he had updated last night, and then I saw that Karkat was off already talking to the guy and I have to say I hate Hussie right now. To say I am waxing obsidian for the man would be a massive understatement. My hatred goes so far beyond the quadrant...

The reason I wanted this done was because I wanted to write, if not a sequel, at least a sort of follow-up fic showing interactions with pre-scratch Vantas. I think what I'm writing is going to lose a lot of impact because people will be comparing the Signless to him and I don't want to include both of them in this fic.

I already had the first chapter written and was going through my proofreading process when I decided to check the updates. As soon as I realized a meeting with deadvantas had the potential to be like in the next few days I wrote up the second chapter and I will be posting that today as well.

It's like 12th Perigree's Eve up in here with all of the chapters.

On a side note, my apologies to those wanting an update for Cry to the Moon. It seems I am now in a race with Hussie and I am not giving up so easily even though I don't stand a chance. The other story will get finished I promise!

Enough rambling. Time to read a story written in the style of bad fanfiction :D

I don't own Homestuck. If I would abuse my power in a Hussie-like manner, but instead of upsetting the fans I would troll Hussie.

* * *

Terezi and Jade rounded the corner, not faltering as they made the sharp turn. Jade let a few rounds loose from her rifle. The bullets embedded themselves in the wall as the intruder ducked into another corridor. The girls followed as quickly as they could into the long hallway. The man managed to stay a few steps ahead of them, at least, until Dave, John, Rose, and Kanaya appeared from a side-hall. The intruder hesitated, nearly skidding to a halt before he regained his momentum. He turned around yet another corner, the padding of his bare feet covered by the pounding of the teens' shoes.

The plan to corner the threat now failed, everyone continued the pursuit, watching the dirty brown hem of a tunic disappear into a room. They didn't slow their steps, but a wave of silent relief passed over them. The mystery visitor had hit a dead end.

They entered cautiously, slowly backing the stranger into the far corner. Eventually his back hit the wall. He didn't cower or beg, though. He stood tall and silent. In fact, Dave thought he seemed completely calm despite being cornered by two trolls and four humans, all armed and unafraid to strike.

Now that they had ceased the chase, everyone finally had the opportunity to look at the stranger. He wore only a long, brown, dirty tunic tied loosely at his waist with a frayed rope. At least his junk was covered, Strider thought gratefully; although he doubted it would matter considering the layer of dirt covering the man's body was so thick no one would be able to see it anyway. Hell, he was so dirty his skin color was hidden. He was covered with streaks of black and brown dirt, and everyone was rather grossed out when they realized there was something crusty as well. The crusty substance seemed to be focused mostly around his ankles and wrists. The six friends finally took note that there were cuffs encompassing the somewhat muscular extremities.

While everyone else advanced slightly, weapons at the ready, Dave hung back. He was trying to get a good look at the strangers face. The man had a hood, though, and between that and a shadow conveniently falling across the guy's head the Strider was having a hard time.

But that changed when the stranger turned his head ever so slightly. It didn't bring his face into the light, but Dave could tell they were making eye contact despite the fact neither could actually see the other's eyes. As they stared at one another, Dave felt an odd sensation run down his spine. He knew exactly what color the stranger's eyes would be.

But even more, he knew what color they _should _be.

Kanaya stepped forward, and while Dave was aware of the motion, he just couldn't stop staring. "I don't know what you wanted with Karkat," she began, revving her chainsaw, "But you won't have the opportunity to get near him again."

The perpetually angry troll had been bed ridden with some weird Alternian disease that Dave couldn't pronounce (though he was sure it roughly translated to the common flu). When Kanaya had gone to give him some medication a few hours prior, she had discovered the stranger hovering over the sleeping troll. The man had fled, and Kanaya had lost sight of him when she had checked to make sure Karkat was alright. Once she had confirmed Karkat's wellbeing, she warned the others they had spread out in teams of two. It seemed that there strategy had paid off, and now Kanaya was about to cut yet another person in half with her preferred weapon.

At least, she would have if Dave had not stepped forward and held a hand in front of her. "Hold on a sec," he said, his eyes still not leaving the stranger. The jade blood pulled her chainsaw back slightly, looking hesitant to comply.

"Something wrong?" Terezi asked.

For a moment, Dave wondered if she was joking, but then he realized, the man was covered in dirt. There was no way she would be able to smell his skin color, let alone his blood, even if it was dried and caking his hands and feet, it wasn't the same. She wouldn't be able to recognize his eyes either. But Dave knew, even if he couldn't see. There was just something instinctual, something that went deeper than the superficiality of sight. If asked to explain, he wouldn't have been able to; he could only state that he just _knew_.

There was silence while Dave and the man continued to have their little staring contest. It had nothing to do with trying to intimidate the other. Rather, it was a sort of subtle communication. There was no fear, and nothing to be feared. They were sizing each other up, learning what the other was all about. Dave got an impression of calm. But he could also see weariness, despite the fact that the stranger stood tall, even taller than Dave. What impression the man had of Strider… that remained to be seen.

"It's Vantas," he finally replied to the blind troll.

This had the opposite of the desired effect, as everyone else seemed to really start getting riled. Jade was the one to voice the group's opinions. "We know this guy tried to hurt him, so let's just take care of this," she said, gesturing with her rifle.

"No," Dave replied. "This guy _is_ Vantas."

Everyone lowered their weapons slightly in their confusion. However, when the stranger took a step forward he once again became the target of subdued aggression. He lifted his hands in a placating gesture, finally breaking eye contact with the Strider. He then proceeded to remove his hood. When the last shadow disappeared from his face, there was a collective gasp. Grey skin mottled with dried blood and scars was stretched over a strong jaw and cheekbones. Candy-corn horns were nestled in hair that was even wilder than Karkat's when he rolled out of bed. But what really drew everyone's attention were his eyes; pure white, soulless, lacking the ruby red Dave knew belonged there.

"Actually," he began his voice deep and gentle, soothing despite the tension in the room, "I was often called the Signless."


	2. Past vs Present

Hey, look at that, here's the other chapter I promised.

I swear to Gog, Hussie, you had better hold off just a little longer on introducing the other Vantas. There are lots of other things you could do, right?

...Okay, enough begging the Waste of Space.

I'm so mad at that troll I didn't proofread this as carefully as I usually would so please forgive any mistakes.

The way the Signless talks is not a mistake. I based the style off of the way Hussie wrote the section about the Ancestors. If you don't like it, that's unfortunate, because he talks A LOT!

Anyway, I don't own Homestuck. It belongs to the Ass of Hats. I'm not sure how grateful you should be.

**EDIT, Please read:** hey if anyone could tell me how to do the quadrant symbols they would be the best person ever. Apparently story descriptions don't like the symbols and I didn't notice when I first posted this stuff. I just used the words but it's not the same :'(

* * *

Once the teenagers had introduced themselves, they moved to the den. "Um, why don't you take a seat here?" Rose offered, gesturing toward the recliner.

"Thank you, but I prefer to sit on the floor," he declined. So saying, he gracefully lowered himself to the floor. His legs were crossed, his posture was perfect, and Dave could tell he was lying. The furniture was limited, and there wasn't enough for everyone to have a seat on a chair or sofa. The Signless had refused out of kindness so that everyone else could be comfortable.

And how did Dave know this? He had seen the adult troll wince when he settled himself on the floor.

There was complete silence as everyone stared at the troll. No one was really certain what to say. But it seemed that Terezi was willing to give speech a try. "So, why are you here?" she asked. He tone was a mixture of awe and suspicion. Dave was rather in awe of the man's unflappable calm (he would never admit it) but he couldn't imagine why the Libra sounded so impressed. It was like she had met her childhood (grubhood) hero in person.

The older troll smiled, and everyone but Dave squirmed a little. He might have held still, but that didn't mean he didn't want to shy away from such a genuine, understanding smile. "I have been wandering through the dream bubbles for many centuries, seeking my old friends. I encountered a beta timeline Karkat purely by mistake. Or perhaps it was fate, since it led me here" he amended in a tone that clearly said the man didn't believe in coincidence. After everything he had been through in the past three years, Dave wasn't sure he believed in coincidence either.

"You were hoping to speak to the live Karkat, then?" Kanaya asked. Dave could hear her trying to keep the awe out of her voice.

The troll nodded. "Yes. I was…surprised by the very brief encounter with my successor. And I felt it was vital that I talk to the 'present' Karkat," he stated plainly, though the conviction and caring in his voice said that this was no chore, but an after-life mission.

"You really are an ancestor!" Terezi practically squealed. "I knew you guys were real! Karkat's going to eat his banana cream lies when he meets you." The girl smiled so widely that the aforementioned fruit would easily fit in the space between her lips and serrated teeth.

Kanaya was more confused than pleased. "Why did you run from me?"

The Signless chuckled sheepishly. "You had pulled out a chainsaw before I could even introduce myself."

Kanaya colored, and Rose patted her back consolingly. "I'm so sorry."

"There is no need to apologize, my dear child. That you care deeply enough for my descendant to allow no harm to befall him is a comfort."

Kanaya blushed even further under the praise, and Rose turned to give their guest an inquisitive look. John, however, spoke before she could even open her mouth. "You aren't much older than Kanaya." The comment earned him reproachful looks from the four girls. Dave made no movement, all of his attention focused on the Ancestor. There was just something about him that drew Dave in, and he wanted to figure out what was causing the distraction.

"John, he's been dead for hundreds of years. Haven't you been paying attention?" Jade scolded.

The troll just smiled at the human. "It is understandable. Even in terms of death, several hundred years is not yet old. I lost my life at a young age as well; I did not live to see 11 sweeps." There was no hint of sadness in his voice. Fishing for sympathy wasn't something the troll would or needed to do, Dave could tell. In all reality, the young man knew compassion and sympathy were things the troll would rather give than receive.

Despite this, there were sympathetic looks from everyone else. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. As I'm certain you noticed, Karkat isn't feeling well at the moment. In a few days he should be fine." Kanaya explained, getting back to the original topic.

"I understand," the troll nodded in agreement. "Now that I know where you are and where your meteor is headed, I should be able to find you again." He turned his head, watching as the edge of the dream bubble slid through the wall and began to creep closer. "I bid you a fond farewell, my friends." So saying, the edge of the bubble caught him, and the meteor sped away.

"He was so cool." Terezi said, pressing her palms to her cheeks and widening her smile even further.

"Do you think he would mind if I asked him a few questions when he returns?" Rose inquired. Everyone could tell she was looking for more material for her novels.

Kanaya smiled. "I don't see why not. He is almost obscenely friendly." The two girls stood and left the room, beginning to discuss some potential questions they would ask. After all, Kanaya was interested in his story as well.

"I wonder if he likes movies," John commented. Terezi just laughed and took off to do Gog only knew what, and Jade rolled her eyes. She and John left as well while Dave remained behind, lost in thought.

He had felt… uneasy. As though this guy had the power to unbalance him by just being in the same room. Even now that Vantas' ancestor was gone Dave still felt odd. There was just something about him that didn't sit right with the Knight of Time. Did he think his friends were in danger? No. Did he think he was in danger? Not physically, at least.

* * *

"Come on, Karkles, you have got to meet him," Terezi demanded as she dragged her unwilling leader toward the den. It had been two weeks since the Signless had visited, and the Knight of Blood had finally recovered from his illness. No one had told Karkat about what had happened for fear the other troll wouldn't be able to return for some reason. The moment he had arrived, though, Terezi had rushed off to tell Karkat his ancestor had come for a visit.

"The last time you told me to go to a dream bubble to meet someone everybody was boring or cavebird-shit crazy." Karkat did not appreciate being pulled out of his room. Nor did he appreciate being dragged across the meteor to meet someone who was clearly an imposter because the ancestors didn't exist.

Terezi paid him no mind as she finally dragged him into the den. The Signless was already sitting in his previous position on the floor, slightly cleaner, though there was still some dirt and dried blood stuck to his skin. When he saw the two younger trolls enter he stood and approached them.

Even Terezi couldn't pull him any closer when Karkat spotted the other troll. He dug his heels into the ground and watched with wide eyes as the taller, more muscular version of him came closer. The older troll smiled and offered his hand. Karkat only glanced at it briefly before snapping, "Who the fuck are you?"

"Karkat," Terezi and Kanaya both warned. The Cancer paid them no mind and continued to glare at the deceased troll suspiciously.

Of course, the Signless took it all in stride. "I am known as the Signless." He lowered his hand, though his smile of greeting didn't turn into a flat line. Instead, it faded into a look of fondness. It was a subtle shift. Dave watched as Karkat seemed to bristle at the look. If Terezi didn't still have a death grip on his arm the guy would have likely bolted. Dave understood the Cancer's wariness completely.

"What kind of a name is that?" Karkat grimaced when Terezi elbowed him in the ribs. "I mean, my name is Karkat Vantas," he grumbled, shooting the Libra a dirty look that she couldn't see.

The Signless just chuckled, earning him another paranoid look from the Cancer. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Karkat. I have much to discuss with you."

His tone was affable and gentle, as though Karkat were a scared kitten that the ghost didn't want to frighten away, instead of a short-tempered, pissy troll. "Well, I don't have any time to waste on some dead guy pretending to be my Ancestor _who doesn't exist_." Dave could see Terezi tighten her grip as Vantas tried to subtly shake her off.

"If you are otherwise occupied at the time, I understand completely. I would not be averse to returning when it is more convenient for you. There is plenty of time, and if you are not ready to talk with me, I will wait until you are."

Dave knew he couldn't be the only one to catch the significance of the statement. The Signless wasn't implying that he recognized Karkat hated him on sight. He seemed to think that Karkat was afraid of him, and didn't have the courage to face the truth of his Ancestor. At least Dave knew Vantas got it, because his lip curled in disgust. "Don't bother coming back. I will never have time to talk to a fucking ghost with a cracked thinkpan," he hissed. Dave watched the shock play across the other spectators' faces. Really, they shouldn't have been shocked, Dave thought. This was Vantas they were talking about.

Fortunately, his Ancestor refused to rise to the bait. If anything, he seemed to ooze more compassion and understanding. Dave watched as Karkat practically foamed at the mouth. "Let him go, Ms. Pyrope. There is no sense in keeping him against his will."

The moment Terezi's grip slackened Vantas took off, leaving five stunned teens in his wake.

"Another time," the Signless reassured Terezi with a pat on her shoulder.

As they both returned to their seats, Dave looked in the direction Vantas had fled with a slight twinge of longing, wishing he was brave (or afraid) enough to follow. It was no surprise Vantas hated the guy. Vantas hated almost everyone. But Dave still had no idea why the deceased troll managed to get under his own skin. There was nothing to dislike. The guy was patient and kindhearted.

Dave blinked. Everything he knew about trolls told him that while they could be friendly, also had a predisposition for violence. He knew that Kanaya and Terezi had each killed one person. Minimum. And Terezi had attempted to kill John at one point, sort of. And this guy was unconditional kindness. Something was wrong.

Yet for some reason that explanation didn't strike him as completely satisfactory.


	3. Sleepless pt1

I haven't really felt like writing lately, but here's another chapter for those who actually like this story. I hope I'm not boring anybody. And... these alpha trolls. I just don't know what to do. Kankri... Kankri you are adorable but please shut up and quit insulting your friends. But even worse is that Dave/Terezi is canon. I mean, I think they make a great couple (their personalities mesh very well), and if any of my readers shipped it I'm happy for them... I just like TerKar (I don't even know what the hell the ships are called or how to properly combine names) matesprits better, and DaveKat kismesis. But I think canon-wise Kar still likes Ter so I doubt he wants anything to do with Dave (unless this is the fodder that fuels the black hatred) In short,my ships have sunk.

I do not own Homestuck. That belongs to Hussie. If I owned it, all of the ships would be canon and everyone would get along and not fight over them like every time Hussie updates.

* * *

Dave rubbed his eyes to wipe away the sleep as he casually meandered down the hallway. Walking in the dark while wearing sunglasses was bad enough; he didn't need the bleariness associated with waking up after a restless sleep. Used to navigating in the dark, however, he managed to find the kitchen without tripping or bumping into the walls. It was only marginally brighter in here thanks to the windows, but it was more than enough additional light for the Strider.

The refrigerator light was almost too bright as he opened the door. He quickly snatched the carton of orange juice and shut the door, shutting his eyes against the stinging sensation. When his eyes finally recovered he glared at the orange juice. On the meteor, Jade had to conjure up their food, and despite her skill with her power over Space, apple juice remained elusive.

He opened the container and sniffed tentatively. Gamzee hadn't been seen in quite some time, and subsequently the drinks usually didn't have slime or Faygo mixed into them. Still, every now and again Kanaya would flip out because the drinks had been tainted, signaling that Gamzee was indeed still present, if not accounted for. So it didn't hurt to be cautious when dealing with liquids. Not that he had ever stopped being cautious after Egbert pulled that monster-piss shit. Had that really been almost three years ago?

Dave nearly dropped the juice when he heard someone settle onto a stool at the granite island. Not that he showed it. Instead he turned around calmly, expecting to see the juggalo, but was instead met with a white gaze.

"Greetings, Mr. Strider," The Signless said, his quiet voice sounding almost loud in the silence of the night.

Dave nodded, knowing the troll could see him even in the dark. Trolls apparently had pretty awesome night vision. "You're early," he stated as he pulled up a seat across from the ghost. He took a swig out of the carton, not bothering with a glass when there was only a little bit left and he fully intended to finish it.

Dave caught a flash of white as the Signless smiled. His already upset stomach rebelled against the acidic juice. "The sun neither rises nor sets here. It was not my intention to catch you at this hour. But I am glad I did."

The human slouched a little lower. He could go back to bed without seeming too rude, since it was only three in the morning, but that would be like running away, and he had too much pride for that, even if the troll made him nervous. "Why's that?" he asked. He wondered if the guy had been creeping around and watching his descendant sleep.

"I was hoping to talk to you."

Dave was glad he hadn't tried to take another drink, or else he might have spat it out. Which would not have been cool. The spit-take was a low form of comedy, and he would never do it, not even for ironic purposes. "I thought you were here for Vantas?" it came out as more of a question than a statement.

Dave watched the troll nod. "I would like to be able to speak with Karkat, yes, but that does not mean I cannot desire to talk with you as well."

That set off several warning bells in the Knight's head. He was beginning to think, undignified or not, he should get out of there. And yet he stayed, forcing his expression to remain neutral. He knew what would come next. In order to try to get the conversation going, the Signless would ask what Dave was doing up at such a Gog-awful hour. Giving himself some time to prepare, he finished off the orange juice before replying, "About what?"

"About anything you like," the troll replied, throwing Dave for a loop. The ghost had clearly granted him a way out. The Signless didn't want Dave to discuss anything he was uncomfortable discussing. The Knight wasn't used to people making such a concession, especially when his behavior was highly suspicious.

His fingers squeezed the empty carton a little more tightly. It was his turn to say something. Normally not at a loss for words, Dave was surprised when he couldn't think of anything not related to the nightmare that had driven him to the kitchen in the first place. For a few moments his mind raced, trying to settle on a non-personal topic. The Signless waited patiently, showing no signs of irritation as Dave tried to gather his scattered thoughts.

Eventually, though, he managed to latch onto an idea. "Why are you so nice?"

If it wasn't even as uncool as a spit-take, Dave would have facepalmed. That was probably one of the worst things he could have said, short of bringing up his brother. As it stood, the only indication of his inner distress was a twitch of his eye behind his sunglasses.

The flash of teeth moved as the troll explained. "It is what I believe in, what I spent my life trying to encourage." His tone was low and soothing. It somehow managed to relax Dave and agitate him further.

"You spent your life being a perfect Mr. Nice-Guy?" Dave snorted, though he regretted it when the flash of the troll's smile disappeared. He shouldn't feel guilty. He was an expert in wiping the grins off of people's faces for one reason or another. Disappointment was nothing new.

"I lived my life trying to change the way the different blood castes viewed each other. My motivation was not always pure; being a mutant red-blood myself, I was subject to the worst of the discrimination, and had the most to gain from a social revolution. There was also a time when my faith in trollkind wavered. But I truly believed that there could be harmony and peace between my fellow trolls, a lifestyle that would benefit everyone from the rusts to the magentas. As you have seen and heard, I failed in my mission. No one is perfect, Mr. Strider."

Instead of bitterness or irritation, the ghost's voice was… seeking, Dave realized. Not seeking pity, but seeking to connect, to make Dave understand. But Dave didn't understand, not really, not after everything that had happened to him.

"Some are just less perfect than others," he responded. Bitterness laced his tone despite his attempts to remain calm.

There was a sigh, and then two large hands were surrounding Dave's. His body jerked at the sudden contact and he tried to pull away, but the Signless held on, firm and gentle. "No one is more or less perfect than anyone else. Some are weaker, others are less intelligent, and others still lack the vision to see where their true worth lies."

There wasn't enough air. Trying to get air past the knot in his throat wasn't working so well. This troll wasn't real. There was no way this was happening to Dave right now. Striders were not the subject of pity. They were supposed to be the object of admiration or ironic jealousy.

When he yanked his hands again the Signless let him go, doing nothing to stop Dave as he stumbled off of the stool and retreated back to his room abandoning both the troll and the juice carton. In his rush he nearly tripped a few times, but he managed to make it to his room without incident, softly closing the door behind him so as not to wake anyone.

Lying on his bed, the Knight tried to even out his breathing. He wanted to claw at his hands, the rest of his body, _escape, be anywhere else but here_. But he was trapped, a prisoner of his own body and the obligation to save the universe, existence, he didn't even know what.

It was too much.

He slipped his sunglasses off and carefully set them on his bedside table. There was still time to catch a little shut-eye before everyone else was up. Too bad he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep.

It really bothered him that he couldn't tell if he was relieved or disappointed to find the Signless was gone when he ventured out again.


	4. Memories

In which the Sufferer talks and talks and talks. Even before Kankri showed up I knew he would be a talker.

Anywho, I decided that in honor of Halloween I would post a chapter. Since Suffy is a ghost, I figured this would be a good Halloween update. I also decided that, since Suffy is an amazing troll, I would post an additional chapter on All Saints day, so check back tomorrow for another update :)

I do not own Homestuck. If I did my patron troll would get more lines.

* * *

The next time the Signless caught Dave off guard, it was broad daylight and everyone was present (minus Karkat), including the normally hidden Gamzee. This only made it slightly more acceptable.

"Hey, Dave, why don't you join us?" John called over from his spot on the sofa.

The younger Strider inwardly cringed. He had been hoping to slip out unnoticed, after seeing the ghost, considering no one was directly facing him. Then again, John did seem to have this knack for being obnoxious at the worst times. (Didn't mean Dave liked him any less, but seriously, the dude needed to learn to keep quiet sometimes.)

Gamzee nodded slowly in agreement. "Yeah, my best friend's human bro. This awesome motherfucker is about to share a story of the miracle of his life," the Juggalo grated. The young man vaguely wondered if Karkat knew his mairoil or whatever was here. He also had to wonder why the clown was present in the first place. It seemed a little suspicious.

Everyone, including the Signless, looked at Dave expectantly, forcing him to focus on the more pressing issue of whether or not he would join them. It didn't take long for him to cave in. The weight of the gazes was crushing. It felt more like a walk of shame than a simple movement to find a seat. Noting that everyone was already comfortably taking all available couches and chairs, he picked a spot on the floor between the two couches, where it would be difficult for anyone but the Signless to look at him.

All he had wanted was to go into the kitchen and grab a slice of banana bread Jade and Terezi had made that morning. Now he was going to have to sit on the floor with the Signless staring at him and smiling and _not judging him_. Now that he was already trapped, he wondered why he had let himself get caught in the first place.

Once Dave had settled physically, the Signless gave him a brief, familiar smile before speaking. "You're just in time. I have not yet begun my tale."

"Swell," Dave said, quiet and unenthusiastic. He could feel the disapproval rolling off Kanaya and Terezi, but no one commented.

"I suppose I should begin by stating that the society I grew up in was vastly different from the one you three experienced," he gave each troll a look, letting Dave have a reprieve from his too-knowing gaze. "Adult trolls still lived on the Alternia, and there was much more social interaction. I am ashamed to admit that I was part of the cause of the sudden shift in culture." He placed a hand on his chest as he explained to emphasize the point, though it was completely unnecessary. Dave found his eyes drawn to the manacles. If he squinted, he could barely see fresh blood at the edges. Terezi would likely be the only other one to notice.

"Sweeps after my passing, a revolution would occur to attempt to accomplish what my preaching could not. The violence only served as a convenient method for the Condesce to eliminate those harboring ill intention toward her, as well as prevent any such thing from happening again. All adult trolls were removed from the planet to serve in her army, sent to conquer other worlds even as the Empress herself left for the furthest reaches of the universe."

There was a ripple throughout the group. Jade and John had been informed of what Aranea had said about the Condesce. No one asked why she would commit such an atrocity.

The Signless noticed the unease that was now not only emanating from Dave, but from everyone else.

"This was not what you asked to hear, but the context was necessary for you to understand the difference between my upbringing and your own.

"Grubs were still raised by lusii, and as far as I am aware they always have been. I was in the wriggling pit, just like the others, waiting for the creatures to select a grub to care for. I would never have been chosen. A lusus such as the one who raised Karkat had not been bred yet. The mutant color of my blood would have ensured my death, if not for your Ancestor, Ms. Maryam." He inclined his head toward the jade blood.

Everyone, save Dave, looked at her. "My Ancestor?" she parroted, unsure of what else to say.

The Signless nodded, and all of the attention turned back to him. "Yes, my dear child. The Dolorosa was a kind and wonderful woman, the sweetest troll I have ever met," he praised. "She was very near and dear to my heart, and I owed her my life. She was one of the trolls responsible for the care of the Mother Grub. When she saw me, she told me sweeps later, she knew I was special. She abandoned her duties and fled the cave in order to raise me where I would be safe from the imperial drones. I couldn't imagine a more wonderful mother."

"Oh my," Kanaya whispered, the admiration for her Ancestor clear.

"Indeed," the Signless chuckled. "She was also my first follower, loyal until her untimely death."

Terezi made a little noise. "Um, how did she die?"

The Signless frowned, his tone becoming more solemn as he replied. "After my own death, my dear mother was sold into slavery. She was a servant of Mindfang until the Marquise's former Kismesis, Dualscar, killed her."

Though Dave couldn't see it, he could tell Kanaya had narrowed her eyes in frustration. "I believe Vriska mentioned her Ancestor was named Mindfang. Am I to assume Dualscar was Eridan's?"

"I could not say; I have yet to meet some of the Descendants."

John was the one to make a noise this time. "That sounds pretty sad. Do you have any happy memories?"

The Signless, ever indulgent, smiled at John and nodded in confirmation before launching into the story of how he met his lover and most devoted Disciple.

It was an almost cheesy romance, but Dave gave the troll his full attention until he sensed a presence behind him. When the ghost took his attention away from the Knight he used the opportunity to look over his shoulder. Vantas was hiding behind a doorframe, only half of his upper body in sight. He was staring at his Ancestor. Clearly he was suspicious, but also hanging on to every word the older troll spoke. Every now and again he would glance at Gamzee and his eyes would narrow further, something else flashing in his ruby irises. It was something darker that his fellow Knight recognized as abandonment.

As soon as Dave realized Vantas was jealous, the troll flinched and looked directly at him. The Cancer's eyes widened, revealing even more of the blood-red irises. Terezi had told the humans that his eyes hadn't always been that color; that they only changed to reflect the blood as the troll reached maturity. Dave had noticed over the three years that the troll's eyes had gotten brighter, more jewel-like. He had grown as well. In another year, he could easily be as tall and muscular as the Signless.

They stared at each other, neither making any noise or movements. Vantas was the first to blink, of course. He scowled and slipped away as quietly as he had appeared. Dave turned his attention back to the older troll. He was still conveying the story of his Disciple, and though the words were cheerful, there was sadness in his tone, as close to disappointment as someone who was never disappointed in anyone could get. Whether the ghost had looked or not, Dave knew the older troll had known Karkat was there and gone again.


	5. Confrontation

As promised, here is the next chapter! I decided to break my pattern and post twice for Unconditional because 1) it's All Saints Day so I'm doing this for Suffy (even though he isn't even in this chapter pfft) and 2) every time I wait Hussie posts a bunch of stuff that does not mesh well with the story I have all planned out and makes me feel silly. Except I haven't been able to access the site lately, so I don't know if he's posting at all right now. I think it might have something to do with hurricane Sandy.

Speaking of, all of my prayers go out to the victims of Sandy's destruction.

I do not own Homestuck. You should be glad, since it would be even more nonsensical than it is now.

* * *

Dave stared at the Keep Out sign longer than was strictly necessary. At least, he thought it was a Keep Out sign. It was actually covered with a bunch of strange symbols he had no way of deciphering short of asking for help, and there was no way he was going to do that. Besides, he thought his guess was a safe bet, considering it was hanging on the door of Vantas' room.

For a moment, he debated if he should knock. Not that that had done much for Kanaya or Terezi. Ever since the Signless visited last, Karkat had been locked up in his room, not even making an appearance for meals. When Kanaya had first gone looking for him, he had given her a non-committal 'I'll be down eventually.' Terezi had gone to see him the next day when he still refused to come out, and he gave her the same answer. Any following attempt by anyone, Dave had been informed, was only met with cussing and demands to leave the Cancer alone. The human wondered briefly if Gamzee might have been able to convince him to leave his room. But the clown had managed to vanish once again, which left Dave as the only person who hadn't attempted to drag the troll out.

Dave huffed as he debated trying to pick the lock or trying to goad Vantas into unlocking the door. He knew the troll had to be leaving the room from time to time for meals and using the bathroom. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to try when everyone else had failed and the angry troll was clearly in no danger of dying.

Eventually he caved and knocked on the door. "Vantas, open the door."

"FUCK NO!"

Dave sighed and rested his head against the door. He already had a headache. "Look, you can't keep doing this. Everybody is worried about you. Rose suggested you might have killed yourself and John started _crying_ for fuck's sake. Go tell the dweeb you aren't suicidal."

"No!"

"No, you won't tell him, or no, you _are_ suicidal?"

There was a growl from the other side of the door and Dave thought he heard Vantas moving closer. When the angry Cancer spoke again, his voice sounded closer, anyway. "Egbert's an idiot, I'm not coming out, and how fucked up is your thinkpan if you would even consider the possibility that I'm suicidal?" The words were snarled through the door.

"How should I know you aren't? I haven't seen you in weeks!"

Dave nearly fell forward as the door was suddenly yanked inward. He regained his balance smoothly and in a badass Strider fashion, though he lost a little of his calm when he saw Karkat. There were reddish bruises underneath his eyes, which had lost much of their jewel-like luster. Dave granted him a frown, letting Vantas know that he didn't approve without saying anything.

This was apparently the wrong thing to do since Karkat bared his teeth. "Why the fuck do you even care, Strider? You wouldn't have to put up with my bullshit, and you could have Terezi all for yourself," he snarled.

Any pity Dave might have had for Vantas vanished, replaced by anger. "How many times do I have to fucking tell you, I'm not interested in Terezi? What is it going to take for you to get it into your thick skull that we aren't a couple of fucking love rivals from one of your shitty romcoms?"

"Love rivals? How many times do I have to fucking tell _you _that trolls don't love?"

"The Signless does!" Dave snapped without thinking. Karkat recoiled, looking for the entire world like a wounded animal instead of a vicious troll. He glared at Strider who could clearly feel the resentment. When Vantas tried to close the door Dave braced against it, preventing the troll from shutting him out. "Don't change the subject," he stated instead of apologizing. It would hurt both teens' pride, and the human didn't have the patience to handle an even angrier troll. "I don't know what's going on inside that head of yours, but you need to pull yourself together. Everyone here needs you." That, by default, meant Dave as well.

He panicked slightly, though he kept his calm façade in place, which was a relief considering how often it had been breaking lately. Dave didn't mind the troll, but the implication was that he was more emotionally involved than he ever wanted to be. Even if he were to acknowledge it to himself, he would never have even hinted at it. Ever since the Signless had arrived, Dave had felt even more out of control than usual.

Thankfully for his nerves, Karkat didn't seem to catch the subtext. "Sure they do," he said sarcastically, breaking eye contact with Dave. It wasn't until he could no longer see the troll's irises that the Strider realized Vantas had managed to make and maintain eye contact in the first place.

The troll, realizing that Strider wasn't going anywhere, took a seat in his rolling chair and turned back to his computer. To Dave, this made no sense. He was the faster of the two, but over the three year stretch on the meteor the other teen had grown to be the stronger one. If he had managed to catch a hold of Dave, he could have easily manhandled his fellow Knight out of his room. But he didn't. He just chose to turn his back and hope the other male would leave.

It clicked after Karkat refused to do anything other than stare at the computer screen with his shoulders hunched and his hands in his lap. Karkat was defeated. He had lost the will to fight and lacked the energy to even get properly angry and maintain that seething cauldron of hatred Dave was thoroughly convinced the troll possessed in place of a spleen. There was no way of knowing if it was just a result of the long fight that Sgrub had thrust him into, or if the appearance of the Signless was the straw that broke the troll's back. Vantas was probably just as averse to his Ancestor as Dave was, though for entirely different reasons.

"Nobody's perfect," Strider practically whispered. Karkat refused to respond or look over his shoulder. The only indication that he even heard to comment was a slight twitch of his pointed ear. When Dave spoke again, he made sure his voice was louder, more certain. "When you're ready to come out, we'll be waiting for you."

Finished with the conversation, the teen quietly slipped out and shut the door behind him. He didn't return to the den quite yet. Instead, he leaned back against the door, wondering why the hell he was repeating what the Signless told him, let alone to the person who would be least likely to listen or care.

After taking a deep breath, quieting his roiling confusion at what was happening to and around him he made his way back to the others. If Dave was lucky, John would have pulled himself together and wouldn't try to hug him and sob all over his hoodie.


	6. Sleepless pt2

I don't actually have a whole lot to say. I suppose I could comment on how A6A4 was really interesting. And also really short...

Oh, yeah, now I know what I want to say. There is a point in this chapter where it seems like Dave and the Signless move from pale to richer, more flushed hues. This is not the case. More or less it's... well, I would prefer to not have to state it here. That would defeat the point of trying to subtly insert it instead of outright stating it in the story. The only reason I'm mentioning it in this note is a (probably unnecessary) preemptive explanation for those who take that part too literally. At this point I'm just rambling in a pretentious manner about how my story has subtleties and shit like that. The fact that I'm pointing it out is also defeating my purpose. I wonder if anyone will even read this?

Regardless, I do not own Homestuck. But my Patron troll finally made another appearance with his Moirail so I don't care right now!

* * *

"Greetings, Dave."

Dave refused to flinch as he turned to meet the gaze of the Signless. It was another sleepless night for the Knight, though much to his pleasure there was at least apple juice in the refrigerator this time.

He took up a seat across from the troll, and vaguely wondered if this was going to become a regular thing. If so, he might as well get used to the never ending discomfort he associated with the guy. "I thought you'd already come and gone today? Jade said you were only here for a few minutes."

In the dark the troll nodded. "I was stuck in one of the more quickly moving dream bubbles. I had only planned on stopping for a few minutes anyway, until I heard Ms. Pyrope mention Karkat's behavior. I knew he tended to keep to himself, but this goes beyond normal."

Concern practically dripped from his tone the words were so saturated with it. Dave forced down a slight feeling of nausea. "He's jealous."

"Jealous?" The pupil-less eyes widened in surprise, the moonlight making it look rather eerie. Dave wasn't afraid of ghosts, so it actually bothered him less than the fact that the troll genuinely liked him for no reason.

"Yeah, he thinks you're trying to steal his Moirail." As the Signless processed that bit of information, his face expressing disbelief and confusion, Dave wondered when the heck he had finally managed to learn the Alternian term for soul-bro.

Eventually the Signless shook his head, the faint moonlight catching on his horns. He chuckled and the Strider tensed. He thought it was funny? No, that wasn't it. He seemed more… amused.

"It rather amazes me how things are so different, yet so similar. I had thought the Grand Highblood and I would make good friends, though I never would have foreseen my executioner's Descendant becoming the Moirail of my own."

This time Dave visibly jerked, startling the troll. "Executioner?" he asked. He had assumed the guy had died trying to escape from prison, based upon the chains and blood.

The troll blinked owlishly a few times, and Dave was half tempted to throw the half-filled juice bottle at his head. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the fact that the troll was too damn nice for his own good. (That, and Dave LOVED apple juice)

Finally though, the troll nodded in confirmation, and seeing Dave's continued agitation, explained. "I preached of love and equality, something the purple-bloods feared and despised. I spent half a sweep in prison before I was brought before the Highblood and silenced. Without me to protect them, many of my followers fell into misfortune."

The wave of nausea returned with a little more force, but Dave managed to suppress it with ease. "You're a martyr." _And wasn't that just the biggest joke of them all_, he thought? Dave Strider irrationally disliked a martyr. It was one thing to dislike a troll who was clearly off his rocker, but to dislike a martyr? That struck Dave as one of the lowest things he could possibly do.

"I was no martyr." The sudden noise startled Dave out of his thoughts of self-loathing. "In my final moments, I gave in to the anger and frustration of failure. I let all of my rage burst forth in what would later be called the Great Expletive." He shook his head, though whether it was in disapproval of his actions or the crappy name given to his final words Dave couldn't be sure. Dave certainly disapproved of the crap-tastic name. "I am afraid that same anger and frustration may have been passed down to Karkat," he added, sounding almost forlorn.

Dave wrinkled his nose. The Ancestor clearly blamed himself for Karkat's troubles, and the Strider couldn't help the little swell of pity in his chest for both of them. He didn't know what to say, if he should try to comfort the ghost, or if he should try to get the hell out of there. It didn't make sense how he could pity and dislike the troll all at once, and suddenly his skin felt too small. He had to resist gripping his arms to himself and dragging his fingernails across his skin. He needed to lie down, to get away from this troll that made him feel _too much_.

Until the Signless had arrived, the Strider had been doing a pretty good job of keeping the overwhelming emotions forced down. Inadequacy, fear, loneliness, anger, disappointment, shame, and depression were all things he was far too familiar with, and every time the troll had come around he had to relive them all over again. He wouldn't cry, hadn't cried in over ten years, but he needed a way out, out of his mind, out of his body, out of this sick joke of a life he'd been forced into. He didn't want to die; he just wanted it to _stop_.

Then there were strong arms wrapped around him, and he realized he was trembling. The left side of his face was smashed against rough fabric loosely covering a muscular chest. He sort of froze, all conscious thought stopping as his brain tried to compute what the hell was going on. When it finally clicked that he was being hugged by a deceased troll, he forced himself to stop shaking. He didn't hug back, just sat there and tried not to shove the understanding troll away like his instincts were screaming at him to do. The urge to claw at his skin had faded, but the urge to run was still very much present.

Judging by the strength of the troll, however, Dave wasn't going to go anywhere anytime soon. Being in the awkward position, the Strider couldn't help but notice some things about the troll he hadn't before. Dave had noticed the guy was built, but it wasn't until he was trapped that he realized how built. And he was even taller than the teen had originally thought. Dave was still taller than Karkat, but he had a niggling feeling that the troll wasn't just going to be taller than him, but practically dwarf him, if he was as similar to his Ancestor as the ghost seemed to think he was. The other thing that stuck out to the Strider was the Signless's scent. It was sort of dirty, which was to be expected considering he was covered in dirt and dried blood, but it wasn't overwhelmingly nasty like a rotting corpse, as he would have expected. It was faint, and mixed in with what Terezi was probably talking about when she referred to Karkat's 'delicious candy-apple red blood.' Dave wouldn't exactly call it delicious, (not even remotely call it delicious, in fact, it smelled like one of those scented candles girls went all crazy over but to him they didn't smell anything like what they were supposed to, and just smelled artificial and fruity and bleh), but he was okay with that in spite of the fact that he wanted to keep running until he collapsed with exhaustion.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Signless finally released him. "Everything will be alright, Dave."

The Strider had to suppress a snort. "It must be nice to feel that confident," he replied, trying to slip away, but the troll was having none of that.

"You don't believe everything will be alright?"

This time Dave did snort, barely looking over his shoulder. "We have some kind of psycho on a power trip chasing us across the universe and trying to kill us, some kind of Batterwitch waiting for us with our beta family if we manage to escape the first guy, and a cherub that doesn't want to just get rid of us but reality itself. I can't even believe we lived this long. Unless you know something we don't, I don't see a happily ever after with rainbows and sunsets and sloppy human/troll make outs." That last qualifier was unnecessary, so why had he added it?

"What I know is that you can succeed."

The Knight took a better look over his shoulder. The Signless said nothing more, waiting for Dave to either agree or walk away. Waiting to be proud or disappointed. The Strider wanted to have faith in the troll's words, but this wouldn't be the first time Dave had tried and failed to perform under such personal pressure.

He fled.


	7. First, Last

So... Jane has earned a lot of my respect over the past few days. I can't wait to see what Caliborn has to say to her. Not that you care, but I also now ship her with Karkat. Dat temper!

Anyway, on a more relevant note, we get some Dave backstory-angst in this chapter.

I do not own Homestuck. That's a good thing, no matter what my brain says otherwise.

* * *

The first time Dave knew he had disappointed his older brother was when he was seven years old. The older Strider had decided it was finally time to start training Dave in preparation for what was to come.

If only Dave had known what that something to come was.

The young man had handed his little brother one of his more lightweight katana. Until that point, Dave had never been allowed to touch one of his bro's swords (Let it not be said that Bro was _entirely_ irresponsible.) It was quite a moment for the child, not only being allowed to hold the precious sword, but for his older brother to teach him was amazing. Come to think of it, it was probably the last time Dave had felt so happy.

The crushing truth of his incompetence with the sword wasn't revealed to him for several months. He had done very poorly at first, but his Bro had reassured him that nobody was as awesome as him right from the get-go. But Dave had steadily improved since then; he even had the audacity to think that one day he would be as good as is brother.

One day, after practice, he realized just how foolish that hope had been. He had left to go shower while his brother straightened up their practice room and set up for tomorrow's session. Feeling excited about how well he had done that day, he wondered if maybe Bro would be in the mood to take him out for dinner at the burger joint down the street. Before he even made it to his room to grab clean clothes, he turned around to go back to the practice room. His brother was handling a thoroughly abused block of wood.

Dave didn't get a chance to ask for his reward, because his brother spoke. Bro was a guy of few words, so to hear him talking to himself was very strange. It only served to reinforce in Dave's still-child mind that he had failed.

"Not even close," Bro sighed as he let the block drop, and Dave's hopes along with it.

(Later, he wondered how the ninja-like man hadn't noticed Dave's presence. He chalked it up to the fact that Bro couldn't actually sense people, but the intention to sneak up on him. It was like crappy comedic animes where random people could startle the main character simply because that wasn't what they were trying to do.)

* * *

The first time Dave knew that Bro was disgusted with him was when he was eleven years old, in the fifth grade.

Dave had been picked on ever since he had started going to public school. He had never told his Bro because had already known that a Strider man didn't complain or whine. It would have been one thing if he could tell his brother that he had stood up for himself and stood his ground, but Dave had been somewhat timid as a child, and had let the other kids bully him. Not only was he a little small for his age, his eyes were ruby-red.

Most of the kids he went to school with were idiots (at least, he thought so. He never considered that they were normal and he was just ahead of them in terms of intelligence.) They couldn't even come up with better insults than 'freak' or 'monster.' Dave had figured out at least a hundred more hurtful words, most of them in his sleep.

He let it go until one day a new kid transferred to his school. The kid was clearly foreign; he had slightly darker skin and an accent that Dave to this day couldn't place.

The bullying suddenly stopped. No one called Dave names or shoved him or stole the meager amount of money he had for lunch. At first, he was relieved. He didn't question why the other kids were being, if not nice, at least tolerant. Heck, even the new kid actually was being nice; they were by no means friends, but it was the closest Dave had had. It wasn't necessary for him to question it, though, because a few weeks later he saw why.

The new kid had suddenly become the center of the bullies' attention. Dave had been able to deal with it by putting on an indifferent façade. It wasn't perfect, he had still reacted sometimes, which only made it worse because the bullies viewed it as a challenge instead of a waste of time. But this kid was on the verge of breaking down.

Dave hadn't been able to stand up for himself, but when the only person who had been nice to him was being hurt, he couldn't stand by and watch.

That was the first day the young boy had come home with visible cuts and bruises.

Bro hadn't really said much. Instead, he taught Dave how to defend himself using his body instead of a sword. Increased strength, stamina, and agility from martial arts training would later be a big help in his sword training. At the time though, the martial arts training only served to get Dave into big trouble.

Once he had adequate training, he went back to school and beat up the kids who had been bullying him. He knew he was going to get suspended, but he thought it would be worth it.

How wrong he had been. His sort-of buddy was afraid of him after that. All of the kids were. They still called him a monster, but never to his face. Only behind his back when they thought he couldn't hear.

When he had gotten home and explained what had happened, his brother's lips had thinned in what Dave could only describe as disgust.

After that, Dave was always the one to pick the fight, and he was careful never to get caught. He also refused to remove his sunglasses whether he was in class or just lounging at home.

* * *

The last time Dave wished his Bro could have had someone better as his little brother, he was 13 years old.

But his age was less important than the fact that he was standing over his brother's corpse.

If he had been stronger, faster, smarter, _more_, maybe he could have saved him. Or at least the older Strider could have died knowing that the future of humanity was in good hands and that there was a chance his death would be avenged.

But he only had Dave; freakish, inadequate, frightened Dave to place the burden upon. He hadn't saved his Bro, hadn't protected his friends, and hadn't even tried to fight Noir.

Dave didn't think he deserved to die, but he didn't feel that anyone else who got wiped out in the Reckoning had deserved it either. It should have been someone else to become the Knight of Time, to enter Sburb, to be his brother's little bro.

Instead of voicing his thoughts, he shut them in a little box in the back of his mind, put on the mask he was so used to wearing he had forgotten what his face actually looked like, and moved on with an existence that was slowly tearing him up inside.


	8. Sleepless pt3

Happy 12th Perigree's Eve and Merry Gristmas!

I want to wish a special holiday prayer to those affected by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary.

On a less somber note, we have more Strider angst and Suffy semi-sad background... Oh, wait.

I do not own Homestuck. That privilege belongs to Santa!Huss. But maybe he'll be nice and grant my Gristmas wish for my ships' safe voyage?

* * *

They were all there; all of them, moaning, bleeding, dying. He had to do something. His body wouldn't move. Karkat rolled onto his back, coughing up his beautiful, hideous blood. Dave ran, scraping his knees as he skidded to the troll's side. There was so much bright red blood.

"You'll be fine." He didn't believe it for a second.

Ruby red eyes turned dull. Dave placed a hand over the wound, over his heart where Noir had stabbed him.

"Don't die." He looked at the others. Red overwhelmed jade, teal, mustard and rust. Karkat coughed again, grabbing Dave's hoodie, grabbing Dave's attention.

Useless, he was so useless; they were going to die because of him.

"Strider," the Cancer croaked, pulling him closer. His grip was weak, it was barely a tug.

And then he blinked, and ruby red turned to pristine white.

* * *

"Can ghosts eat or drink?" Dave asked before removing the last bottle of apple juice from the refrigerator. At this point, he figured that since he was out of bed and really didn't want to discuss why he was up the Signless would be sitting in what had become his 'usual' spot.

"We can, though we don't enjoy it as much as the living. Thank you for the offer, though." The ghost declined politely.

The young man was actually impressed that the troll had managed to tease out the fact that, yes, it was as close to a polite offer as he was going to give. "Karkat still refuses to talk to you?" he asked, genuinely curious. The Ancestor had actually stopped by several times that Dave hadn't got to meet with him. From what he understood, the older troll would spend time with two or three of the other teens before departing once more. He also understood that Dave was the only one who had gotten any alone time with the guy.

Dave took the sigh as a yes, and then asked the question that had really been eating at him since their last conversation. "If you died a martyr, and you didn't… fill your bucket with your girlfriend or whatever the troll equivalent is, how is Karkat related to you?" He settled onto a stool and waited for the explanation. He figured if he could keep the conversation away from anything to personal about himself, he might not have to act like a broken coward again and run away. He didn't want the troll to think he was vulnerable, which was the only reason he had decided to go to the kitchen despite knowing the troll would be there.

The Signless, unlike his high strung Descendant, didn't flip the fuck out at Strider's casual use of the word 'bucket.' "I owe that to Ms. Pyrope's Ancestor. She was a staunch supporter of mine, and was the only one still hidden from, and therefore in the good graces of, the Highblood. As a legislacerator, she had the opportunity to remove my corpse from the court, under the guise that she would be feeding it to her lusus."

Dave's lip twitched slightly, which was better than wrinkling his nose. "That's… weird. Did she actually do that?"

The moonlight reflected off of his horns as he nodded. "Yes, but not before collecting two vials of my blood. Foreseeing the need, she had also previously collected some blood from my love. This was very clever of her, and what she did next was even more tricky and dangerous, since she would have to get my blood to the Imperial Drones unnoticed.

"She had a purple-blood as an acquaintance, whom she convinced to let her spend a few days at her home at the same the Drones would be making the rounds to collect genetic material. Redglare made sure she was the one who answered the door when the Drones arrived. The purple blood had a Matesprit and Kismesis of her own, which the Drones already knew, but Redglare managed to convince them that she had just recently joined the trio to form a complete chain of concupiscent relationships. After being handed the four necessary buckets and told that she had an hour, the Drones left, and she set to work.

"She gave the proper buckets to her acquaintance and the romantic partners, keeping the other two hidden. She then took the two extra buckets to the guest room that had been provided for her and filled them each with a vial of my blood. Into the one reserved for Matesprits she added my lover's blood, and into the one meant for Kismesis she added her own. Though we had never had that sort of relationship, I am glad that she had the foresight to provide her own genetic material for the next generation.

"When the Drones returned she collected the other two buckets and returned all four of them to the collectors. They didn't see anything unusual about the coloration, considering it was three purple bloods and a teal blood, so the genetic material was approved and sent to be added to the slurry."

Dave mulled that over in his head for a moment. "So you just fill the bucket with blood? That's it?" he said. He knew Karkat was insecure about his blood color and even touchier when it came to reproduction, but seriously, nothing the Signless said merited one of the younger trolls rage attacks.

"Blood is the only acceptable substitute," The troll deadpanned.

Dave nodded solemnly to acknowledge that he hadn't missed the ironic humor that the troll had just hit him with, since Dave had picked a rather innocuous detail to latch on to. He had to admit he was impressed, and more confused than ever as to how trolls were actually supposed to reproduce.

But that was a question for another time (never). At least the ghost hadn't acted squeamish giving the explanation. Dave took a brief moment to imagine what kind of face Karkat would make it he casually heard his Ancestor talking about the troll equivalent of sex with Dave. It would have been somewhere between absolutely livid and ragetastic. He made a mental note to ask the Signless to recount the tale again when Karkat was present.

If the troll would ever even bother to go see his Ancestor. Dave frowned. Other than the time he had caught Karkat spying, he doubted the younger troll had seen the older one, or vice versa. If Karkat would just listen to what the ghost had to say, Dave wouldn't have to keep dealing with him and all of the suppressed emotion the dead troll was forcing him to face.

"Dave?" the troll asked, extending his hand. Dave flinched back, feeling the pain welling up again. The troll was reaching out to him in more ways than one, and he just couldn't handle it.

The Signless refused to retract his hand, though he didn't extend it further, thankfully. The Knight's attention caught on the shackle that was placed in a sliver of moonlight stretched across the island top. It was still shining, clean save for a few streaks of dried blood. Between the manacle and the skin was even more blood. It was practically trapped in place by a giant scab, and Dave wasn't certain, but it looked a little wet, like the wound had opened up when the hand had been extended. _Offered,_ the younger Strider amended.

Dave bit his lip uncharacteristically (but then everything he did around the Signless was uncharacteristic, wasn't it?) before asking "If ghosts can eat and drink, do you guys bathe too?"

The hand remained where it was, but it trembled slightly and the troll chuckled softly. "Only when we come across a dream bubble with running water."


	9. Awkward Moirallegiance

I'm such a sucker. This story got a new favorite (YAAAAY!) and now I feel obligated to post instead of doing homework.

And Santa!Hussie did not grant my wish. Instead, my brother informed me of a certain post on his tumblr which means that my OTP can never be cannon. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be, but knowing it never stood a chance makes me sad.

Also, this chapter contains mentions of nudity, bathtubs, and awkwardness. However, THERE IS NO NON-PALE ROMANCE!

I don't own Homestuck. Also, Trickster!Jane creeps me the hell out.

* * *

"If ghosts can eat and drink, do you guys bathe too?"

"Only when we come across a dream bubble with running water."

This was how Dave had ended up guiding the Signless to the largest bathroom on the meteor. It actually had both a standing shower and a shower/bath combo. Dave had no idea who the hell thought that was a good idea, because more often than not it turned into a fight over the hot water as well as water pressure since no one was willing to wait. But that was a moot point at the moment, since no one would be trying to clean up at the same time as the troll.

Upon entering the room Dave turned on the hot water in the standing shower. Out of politeness, he didn't watch as the troll disrobed, but when the ghost went to set his robe on the floor Dave took it instead.

"I'll try to find you some new clothes," he said, wondering if anything of Karkat's would fit. Maybe Gamzee had some clean clothes he could borrow, since the Capricorn was slightly larger than the irritable Cancer.

"It would not do to take someone else's clothes," the troll said as he stepped into the shower, almost as if he was reading Dave's mind. He slid the glass door shut behind him and began perusing the mixture of Earth and Alternian hygiene products.

The Knight frowned. This guy was too much in his head. "I'll wash it then," he conceded, slipping out of the room and toward the laundry room before the troll could say anything else.

Surprisingly enough, Dave didn't mind doing laundry. Back when he had been a kid, he hated the chore. It was boring and he felt his time was better spent training or being an untouchable coolkid. Now he found comfort in it. The washer and dryer were similar to what could be found on Earth, and the droll chore had become something that reminded him of the everyday humdrum of a life that didn't include psychopaths trying to kill him and everyone he cared about. It was sort of odd how doing the laundry could make him nostalgic. Ironically.

He figured since he was there he might as well do some of the troll's laundry as well. (That was one of the perks of being God-tier; magical dry-cleaning.) As he tossed in some of Sollux (how was the guy ever around long enough to dirty so many clothes?), Terezi, and Karkat's stuff (he didn't dare do Kanaya's laundry. Her stuff required special care, and he liked having his upper and lower torso attached, thank you), he wondered if washing the Signless' tunic-robe-thing was a good idea. Aside from the dirt and dried blood, the thing was really tattered. It would probably be nothing but scraps by the time it got through the wash, let alone drying it.

But the Signless didn't want new clothes, so Dave tossed it in and added a little more soap than normal. He knew it wasn't going to overflow with suds; he'd seen John do it once and had learned from his mistake. He just wanted to make sure it was really clean, even if there was no way to remove the worst of the stains.

Finished with that, he wondered if he should go do something on his computer until the wash cycle was finished or go see how the Ancestor was doing.

Then he wondered why he was wondering, because his feet were already carrying him back to the bathroom.

He didn't bother to knock, just stepped into the room. The shower was still running, but at first Dave thought the troll had caught the edge of the dream bubble and vanished again. Then he realized the reason he hadn't seen the troll was because he was looking slightly up instead of down.

The Signless was sitting with his legs crossed, working at the caked-on blood covering his left wrist. Both males winced ever so slightly as he pulled a chunk off. Dave felt a little sick, but didn't say anything. Instead, he went over to the shower/bath combo and turned the hot water on full-blast. The sound of the shower had probably kept the troll's sensitive ears from hearing Dave earlier, but at the sound of rushing water and the sudden drop in temperature the Knight was sure he was experiencing, the ghost had to know Strider was there.

The troll looked at him in confusion as he stepped into view. Dave slid the door open and shut the water off so that the bath would be really hot. It was only when the Signless looked up at him, patiently waiting, that he explained.

"Soaking in the tub first will make it easier. Then you can shower to clean off whatever's left," the Knight said, offering the troll a hand when he didn't stand up himself. The Ancestor smiled, and Dave felt a chill go down his spine. What in the world was he getting himself into? The guy was like a freaking magnet, and Dave's steely mask was slowly being ripped away from his face. He felt the overwhelming panic as he helped the Signless to his feet. He wanted to scream, to tell him to stop, but he remained silent as the troll moved himself to the still-filling bath.

He was a big guy, though, and shut the water off before long so the tub wouldn't overflow. Dave just stood for a minute, frozen in a panic as the troll made himself comfortable in the tub. Neither said anything for a few moments, and Dave knew he should run before the troll said anything else that would expose his vulnerabilities any further.

But the troll, ever on the ball, beat him to the punch. "I don't suppose you would help me wash my back?" Except it wasn't a question. He phrased it that way to try to make Dave think he had a choice in the matter when the troll knew damn well the human would cave in and help.

The Strider wanted to hate the guy for it, he really did.

Instead of offering a snarky comeback he grabbed a washcloth and some soap and set to work. The Signless kept his hands submerged, rubbing his wrists every now and again. Dave had been right; the blood seemed to come off a little easier after having been soaked for a few minutes.

"Have you _ever_ bathed?" Dave asked, trying to sound as put-upon and sarcastic as possible as he rubbed the bar of soap over the washcloth again. He wanted the troll to know he didn't want to be here.

The troll had to have noticed, but chose to ignore the tone in favor of responding to the question properly. "Not since well before my death. No one has ever asked."

Of course he wouldn't ask himself, would only take it if it was offered. Most people thought ghosts were unchanging, that they didn't need to bathe. (Karkat had assumed the same of Dave, but it was only the outfit that stayed clean, not Dave himself.) Hell, Dave wouldn't have known if he hadn't made the offhand comment about eating and drinking. So of course the martyr would let them go on thinking that, and wouldn't bother to correct anyone later because he wouldn't want them to feel guilty about not offering in the first place. This guy really pissed Strider off.

"Dave," he said, reaching his left hand over his right shoulder where Dave was scrubbing harder than necessary. His hand covered the younger man's, and Dave could see the raw wound now exposed from having the scabs removed.

"Why?" he snapped. The Signless blinked over his shoulder, and then twisted to face Dave more fully.

"Why what?" the troll asked, sounding genuinely confused.

Dave hadn't meant to speak, but something in him had just… broken. "Why do you call me Dave? Everyone else is Mr. Egbert or Ms. Pyrope or Ms. Lalonde and I'm Dave. Karkat I can understand, but why am I not Mr. Strider anymore? I'm Dave," he finished lamely, some of the anger dissipating. Why he was even angry about such a small detail was beyond him, and it frustrated him.

"Because," the Signless began in that deep, soothing voice of his that made the hair on the back of Dave's neck stand up. "You need me more than Karkat does."


	10. Looking Pale

Here's some more nekkid-non-romantic awkwardness!

Just a quick reminder that this is set before Dave knew about he cherubs, so Jack Noir is still the big baddie.

I do not own Homestuck. Did anyone else find it funny/creepy that Trickster!Dirk dresses a bit like Lil'Cal?

* * *

"Because," the Signless began in that deep, soothing voice of his that made the hair on the back of Dave's neck stand up. "You need me more than Karkat does."

"I-What?" Dave sputtered, tugging on his hands. The troll had tightened his grip, and if a troll really wanted to hold a human in place, he was going to hold a human in place.

Dave's mind whirled, trying to figure out what the Ancestor was up to. It would just be too perfect for Dave to suddenly discover the troll was deceitful. He doubted the guy would even lie to children to cushion a blow. So there had to be some important detail he had missed that would help this all make sense.

Unfortunately, he was drawing a blank without enough information, so he decided it would be best to just get the ghost to tell him directly. "What are you talking about?"

In the split second Dave had switched from panicked to suspicious, the Signless had remained motionless, but sighed almost sadly as he explained. He did that a lot. "When I first had the fortune, or rather, misfortune, of discovering not only my Descendant's condition, but location, I thought it was my fate to try to ease his suffering. I was mistaken. I am here because I was meant to help you, Dave."

Dave snorted, not trying to escape the troll's grip again because all that would accomplish was showing the troll how scared he was. "You made a mistake, all right. I don't need whatever kind of help you're offering. Unless you're going to help us fight Noir?" he asked skeptically. The troll was no doubt the most pacifistic pacifist ever.

"You are afraid, Dave."

That set his teeth on edge. He hated to do this, but maybe if he threw the troll a crumb he would let the matter drop. "Yeah, I'm scared, but I think it's pretty reasonable considering we're being chased by a homicidal maniac with superpowers."

"He was responsible for the death of your older brother." The statement was plain, and the truth, so Dave had no idea why he was gripped by the sudden urge to start yelling that it was a lie and ask how he had found out (which had likely been from his travels through the dream bubbles). "But it is not Noir you are afraid of."

"Oh, yeah, well then, enlighten me," he was so tense the sarcasm sounded completely off, but he didn't care. He just wanted to run.

"This is not something you can run from, Dave."

The Strider jerked violently at having his mind practically read, and if the Signless hadn't released his grip he would have hurt his wrist. Instead he took a few stumbling steps backward before finding his balance. He froze there, not moving as the troll moved and grabbed a towel from the rack on the wall. He wrapped it around his waist, though he was clearly still in need of some serious cleaning, as he turned to face the still frozen teen.

The Ancestor placed his hands on the Strider's shoulders, restarting his shocked mind. The sunglasses reflected the light from overhead as he turned to look the troll in the eyes. "You do not fear Noir. You fear what he could represent; the death of your friends. You fear you have already disappointed your brother; you have and still do fear you will let your friends down. You fear that you will never reach your full potential. And, most of all, you fear me," he explained to the still stunned teen.

Dave's mind wasn't really working, so he couldn't control himself when a slightly-hysterical chuckle escaped his lips. "Why would I be afraid of you? You're all kittens and flowers and sunshine." He blurted nervously.

"Because you are afraid to let yourself be loved. What I offer is unconditional, Dave. You worry that you do not deserve it. You have tried to fight it, ignore it, push it away, but that is the trouble with unconditional love; the recipient does not have the luxury of destroying it. Because it is not based upon certain qualities, does not come with expectations of change. I don't wish you to remain as you are now, Dave, but that is only because you are unhappy. If you refuse to change, I will only be disappointed in myself for not helping you. I will still care about you. And that frightens you. You are so used to falling short of expectations, most of them self-imposed and, admittedly foolish in that no one should be expected to accomplish perfection. You can't accept that someone will love you, not just in spite of, but because of your flaws. Because they make you who you are. Your fears are completely unnecessary."

Dave was sure that was one of the cheesiest speeches he had ever heard. He could feel tears pricking at his eyes anyway as the troll hugged him. It was kind of awkward, considering the ghost was both wet and dirty, but Dave just let it happen, refusing to hug back, but not even considering running away.

As much as he hated to admit it, the Signless was right. He was so right it _hurt_. "I… Okay, why don't… you can just… you should probably finish your bath. Or shower," he said, gesturing to both behind the troll's back.

After gently squeezing his shoulders, the Ancestor released him. While he didn't run out of the room like he had attempted earlier, he made sure his exit was quick.

His pace didn't slow as he made his way to the laundry room, moved the clothes to the dryer, turned the heat on said dryer up in order to dry the clothes quickly, and headed to one of the other two bathrooms on the meteor. In the way of cleaning this one had only a standing shower, but Dave planned on being quick anyway. He checked his reflection in the mirror above the sink. When he looked at the smudge of dirt on his left cheek form where his face had been pressed to the Ancestor's chest he smirked. He looked so uncool right now. He stripped; saving his sunglasses for last was he had always done.

His ruby-red irises looked even brighter than usual against the pale pink along the edges of his eyes. It shouldn't contrast so brightly, but it did. At least he hadn't cried.

He cleaned himself quickly, throwing his magical God-tier pajamas back on before returning to the laundry room to see if the clothes were dry. Thankfully they were (Vantas would later flip the fuck out at him for shrinking one of his shirts to the point he couldn't wear it anymore. Terezi would laugh and thank him for her new belly shirt.), so he grabbed the ghost's tunic-robe-thing and dumped the rest into a basket. He would take care of it later, considering he had no intention of going back to sleep tonight.

When he returned to the bathroom, the Signless was just drying his hair, being careful of his horns. They might be almost as nubby as Karkat's, but they could still catch on the material if he wasn't paying attention. Dave wordlessly traded the robe for the towel, noting little splotched of fresh blood on the off-white fabric.

While the Signless finished straightening out his clothes, Dave looked at his wrists. They were clear of the old dried blood, but now fresh ruby drops were escaping from beneath the manacles.

"Has no one ever offered to bandage your wounds either?"


	11. Cycle of Suffering

I don't actually have much to say today. Except, if I don't get more reviews, I may or may not delay finishing this story in favor of other projects. HINT HINT

I do not own Homestuck. I could never manage to update as frequently/as much as Hussie does.

* * *

Dave knew the only reason the Signless was keeping so quiet now was because he was giving the human teen time to process everything that had happened and come to terms with what the troll had said. As complicated and fucked-up as trollmance was Dave knew, had known from the start, that it wasn't an overture of a romantic sort. It was friendship, pure and simple.

Except, it wasn't so simple. But then, when was the last time anything in his life had been simple?

Bandaging wrists and ankles that were trapped in shackles certainly wasn't simple. The ones around the Signless's ankles had been looser, so wrapping them in gauze had been a little easier. Dave wondered how much good it would do, since the troll's fingers were too large to change the dressing himself, and even if the wounds were allowed to heal properly the manacles would just rub them until they started bleeding again.

Still, even if it was only a slight reprieve from the pain, Dave wanted to do what he could for the troll, because even though he was still sort-of in denial and angry and scared, the troll didn't deserve to suffer.

He cussed as he tried to get the gauze wrapping between the troll and the manacles without making the injury worse. The Ancestor chuckled slightly, though said nothing.

"Rose or Kanaya would be better at this," he finally admitted, though he had finally started making progress on the troll's first wrist.

"I would prefer that you do it."

Dave felt another pang of panic, but he quickly pushed it down. He wasn't going to be able to accept all of this for a little while, maybe even a long while. It was odd to think he could somehow become friends with someone who he still wasn't comfortable being around. He would think it entirely impossible if the troll had given him any say in the matter.

As he continued his rather frustrating task, he asked, "How did you decide I was the one who you needed to help instead of Vantas?"

"After talking privately with the both of you, I discovered my true purpose for coming to your meteor," he explained.

Dave's hand froze as he looked up. "You got Vantas to talk to you?" Disbelief colored his tone. The Cancer had been so hostile during that first meeting that there was no way he would suddenly have changed his mind. But then Dave remembered the day he had caught Vantas eavesdropping and though that maybe it was possible.

The Signless unintentionally confirmed his thoughts. "He sleeps even less than you do, and is consequently more eager to return to bed."

So Dave wasn't the only one to make late-night trips to the kitchen. It wasn't surprising to hear Vantas wouldn't stick around for as long. As much as the troll blustered, he didn't have the same pride Dave did to bolster him through an unwanted confrontation.

"You were waiting for him the first night I came down. You didn't just arrive at the wrong time." Dave remembered the vague wording the troll had used that first night, back when he'd still been 'Mr. Strider.'

The troll nodded, and so Dave turned back to his work, which was made more difficult by the fact that the troll's blood was all over his fingers, staining the gauze before he could even wrap it properly.

He was a little surprised to hear a verbal confirmation as well. "While I did believe I was waiting for Karkat, it seemed in truth I was waiting for you. And now that I have done what I can, I will only be visiting once more to say my goodbyes."

A stinging sensation spread through his chest, and for a moment Dave felt he was being abandoned yet again, but the troll flipped his hand over and gave the Strider's fidgeting fingers a gentle squeeze. It calmed him enough to think about it more rationally. He had known the Signless couldn't keep coming back forever. He was dead, and Dave and his friends were alive. They needed to keep moving forward with their lives, not dwell on an old ghost. It was both a relieving and heartbreaking.

But that didn't mean Dave would forget. He would never forget.

He returned to bandaging the troll's wounds without saying anything, struggling with it for a few more silent minutes before pausing again. "Wait, wait. I haven't noticed Vantas behaving any differently. Have you helped him?"

The flat response was not what Dave was expecting. "No."

He jerked his head up again. "What? Why? I mean, even if I'm more messed up than him, that doesn't mean he's fine." If there was an edge of concern as opposed to curiosity, the Signless didn't comment on it. It wasn't like Dave and the Descendant were best buddies, but a less cranky Karkat would be beneficial for everybody.

Instead, he replied, "I cannot reach him, Dave. He has closed me out, and it would be an exercise in futility for me to force him to open up when it is not my place."

"Then whose place is it?" There was a beat of silence before he asked again. "Who is going to help Karkat if you don't?"

The Signless sighed, refusing to break eye contact with Dave. "If I could help him, Dave, I would. He has inherited my legacy. I was not just called the Signless for all my life. I once had a true name, given to me by Ms. Maryam's Ancestor, but that name has been long forgotten, even by me. At the time of my death, I gained a second name once more. I was known as the Sufferer. I am in part responsible for Karkat's woes, if only for my blood-color. But I am not the one who will be responsible for lifting that burden."

"_Who then_?" Dave stressed, surprised at how worried he actually was for the Cancer's sake even as he felt a pang of sympathy for the Ancestor. When there was no response right away, Dave nearly lost his patience. But then something occurred to him. "Does he… Is there even someone who _can_ help him?" More silence. "He's going to Suffer, just like you did. Maybe there won't be chains, but the physical pain isn't how you earned your second title, is it? No one's going to be able to help him."

Finally, finally, the Signless responded. "I cannot say, Dave. Only time will tell."

Dave looked down at the troll's still bleeding wrist. He turned the statement over and over in his head for several minutes. If time was what Karkat needed, even the other Knight couldn't guarantee he had enough.


	12. Fond Farewell

Spring break is almost here! I'm hoping to put up at least two more updates over vacation, but it depends on whether or not I finish all of the extra work my professors assigned T_T Why do teachers not understand the concept of spring "BREAK"?

I want to thank all of my followers and the people who fav'ed and reviewed this story. Even though it's now completed, I want to encourage more reviews so I can improve my stories in the future. I'm kind of proud of this one, but I want to know what you readers liked/didn't like so I can tweak my style/technique/otherfancywords.

I do not own Homestuck. I think Kankri picked up an arachnid disciple and it sort of scares me.

* * *

"Aww, do you _have_ to leave?"

The Signless chuckled and clapped a hand on John's shoulder. "I'm afraid I must. I have enjoyed the time I have spent with all of you immensely, but it is time for all of us to move on."

Dave couldn't help but smirk as John made puppy-dog eyes in an attempt to change the troll's mind. It wouldn't work though, but Dave wasn't going to tell him.

Gamzee and, predictably, Karkat, weren't around to say their final farewells to the Ancestor. Everyone else was standing around the living room. Dave was leaning up against the sofa, a little away from the others as the farewells started. Everyone looked disappointed, save for the younger Strider. Actually, John looked to be on the verge of stage tears he was so determined to convince the troll to stay. He only got a hug for his efforts. This, for John, was in all reality one of the most awesome rewards ever.

"Thank you for sharing your stories. Kanaya and I will do our best to make sure they stay preserved," Rose said, stepping forward to do her own goodbye. No one was really sure how it had suddenly turned into a one-on-one thing while everyone else waited their turn, but it seemed to be pretty effective.

Rose, Jade, and Kanaya all said their goodbyes while Dave zoned out a little bit. It had been a week since he and the Sufferer had last spoken privately, and the Knight was still trying to settle into the idea that he didn't need to put so much pressure on himself, and that maybe he hadn't disappointed his Bro or failed his friends as badly as he had made himself believe. It was a lot for him to accept when he had spent a good portion of his life stewing in his own emotions, and he knew that those negative feelings would never fade entirely, but maybe once he processed everything that had happened he would be able to at least function on a more normal level. He would have taken the time it took everyone else to say their goodbyes in order to process it further, if Terezi had not recaptured his attention by asking the Signless, "Would it be weird if I asked to lick you?"

Two weeks ago she wouldn't have asked for all of the dirt covering him, but it hadn't escaped anyone's notice that the older troll was decidedly much cleaner, though they didn't ask and the Sufferer and Knight didn't tell. Dave was pleased to note his attempt at first aid seemed to be holding up against the chafe of the shackle.

The Signless looked extremely awkward at the bizarre request, but gave his permission anyway. It was an effort for Dave not to laugh at the expression on the ghost's face as Terezi's tongue slid up his cheek. The Knight was feeling slightly more lighthearted, at least, and he figured that, given enough time, he could really take the Sufferer's words to heart.

Some of the relaxed feelings fled as Dave caught sight of Karkat. The troll was looking from behind the door again, and was out of everyone else's line of view. He spotted Dave looking at him, but didn't run. It was yet another staring contest between the two, though this one lacked a lot of the usual heat. They were just watching and waiting to see what the other one would do.

For once, Dave broke eye contact first. It was his turn to say his official goodbye to the Signless.

He moved to stand in front of the troll with his arms crossed. Neither said anything, just stared, and Dave briefly wondered why he had traded one troll/human staring match for another. He stuck out his hand, ignoring everyone else's blatant confusion. The Signless reached out and grasped the hand.

Before Dave could begin pumping there was a brief moment where he was falling forward and in severe danger of humiliating himself by face planting on the floor. At least, until the unfairly strong troll caught him into a one-handed bro hug. Duly impressed at the troll's clever ploy, Dave gave in and returned the gesture, not even blushing a little bit when he heard Jade giggle behind him.

The embrace lasted just slightly longer than was strictly necessary for super-casual acquaintances, but since the Ancestor had become a sort of guardian for the Knight, he didn't mind all that much, even if his friends were going to give him the third degree about it later.

When they finally separated, Dave turned to look at Karkat. The Strider had to resist the urge to ask Vantas if he was trying to catch flies in his open trap, but didn't say anything for fear the troll would close his mouth so fast he'd bite his tongue off. No one noticed the brief glance, considering Dave had only slightly twisted his head and no one but the Sufferer seemed to be able to make and hold eye contact through the sunglasses.

Surprisingly, there were still no comments when Karkat managed to gather up all of his usual bluster and snap, "Good riddance." Everyone else in the room flinched in surprise at the sudden announcement of the young troll's presence.

The troll stepped out hesitantly and made his way to his Ancestor. At least, Dave could tell he was hesitating, all of their friends just thought he was being hostile. The Signless, loving as ever, and also a lot faster than Dave would have thought for someone his size, quickly snatched up the Cancer into a bear hug before his Descendant saw it coming. The younger Strider wished he had a camera so he could make the absolutely shocked and mortified look on Karkat's face his wallpaper. And screensaver. And Gristmas card. And t-shirt. And bedspread, if he could somehow manage it. It would be totally worth the effort to watch Karkat implode from embarrassment.

Before Dave could decide to swipe a laptop and use the camera to snap the priceless photo, the Signless let him go. The Cancer crossed his arms and made a lot of disgruntled noises that sounded vaguely like cussing while the others laughed at the faint blush forming on his cheeks.

Dave watched, feeling a little forlorn as the Sufferer said one final goodbye and disappeared along with the dream bubble. Maybe someday when Dave was a ghost himself they would meet up again. But, for now, he had more pressing concerns.

Everyone else not-Vantas seemed to be feeling the loss as well, even though they had only known him for a short time. They drifted out of the living room one by one until it was just Dave and Karkat.

"You should have given him a chance," Dave said.

Karkat's face just scrunched up even further. "Like you're one to lecture me on being nice to people. You are the single biggest nookwhiffer I've had the misfortune of meeting. Of all of the fuckasses in all of the timelines I could have been stuck with, it just had to be you." Disdain dripped off of the words.

Dave smirked. "Is it already that time of the month again for the fourth time this month?" It was always fun to watch the troll to struggle to comprehend Earth lingo.

"That's the fifth time you said that. What the fuck does it even mean?" the troll huffed.

Dave smirked wider, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "You keep track of what I say and how many times I say it? I'm so flattered, I didn't think you were interested in me like that," he said sarcastically. He half expected Karkat to go on a full blown rant complete with some of the most, Dave had to admit, highly creative insults he had ever heard.

Instead, he got a blush and a 'go to hell, Strider,' before the troll stomped out of the room, leaving Dave alone. Well, it had been a fifty-fifty shot after all. The Knight's smirk spread into a small, but genuine, smile.

Things often got worse before they got better. But for once Dave felt somewhat confident that the second part didn't need to be proceeded by 'if.'


End file.
